The invention relates to a process for purification of a methyl methacrylate (MMA) reaction product from the effluent of an oxidative esterification reactor (OER).
The use of oxidative esterification to prepare MMA from methacrolein and methanol is well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,462 discloses a process having a methanol recovery column using hexane as an entrainer. However, this process is not suitable for reaction products which contain MMA salts. There is a need for a more efficient process for separating the components of reaction products resulting from preparation of methyl methacrylate.